PET keg company invests in Australian beverage market

Netherlands keg company Lightweight Containers is expanding its presence in Australia opening two new warehouses and adding sales representatives.

Specialising in one-way keg technology, Lightweight Containers’ Australian expansion follows similar moves by the company in the UK and Spain.

Lightweight Containers CEO Anita Veenendaal said in a statement that Australia is a strategic market for the business.

“We are enjoying strong sales growth of our kegs across all beverage categories,” Veenendaal said.

“Our additional warehouse space and new hires means that we can continue to provide our customers with the very best products and service, as well as expand our footprint in the wider Asian market.”

The company’s expanded Australian sales team will include Adelaide-based Tim Bakker and Melbourne-based Raymond Kent. The pair have been tasked with taking advantage of the federal government’s Excise Tariff Amendment Bill 2019.

The legislation, effective from July 1, 2019, will amend the current excise tariff laws that lower excise duty rates for beer in containers larger than 48 litres to now cover smaller containers of 8 litres. Lightweight Containers predicts the new legislation will drive beverage consumption growth in retail outlets.

Bakker and Kent will work alongside Riccardo Nardi, who has been overseeing the company’s Australasian interests since 2016. Nardi will now also focus on Lightweight Containers’ Asia Pacific market helping the company’s Australian customers to grow their exports into Asia.